This is an application for partial support of the Gordon Research Conferences on Collagen in 2009. The 2009 Conference will be held at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH, July 19th to 24th. The 2009 Collagen Gordon Research Conference will be the 36th anniversary of this biennial conference focused on collagens as key continents of extracellular matrix. It provides a unique forum for interaction of an international group of scientists with common interests in the biology and pathology of connective tissues. Major discoveries in extracellular matrix research are often reported for the first time at this conference in the basic biology, development, and diseases involving collagen. The 2009 conference will emphasize new information regarding the interactions of collagens within extracellular matrices and with cells;the function and assembly of the extracellular matrix;structure of the collagen genome;comparative genomics of collagens;postranslational processing of proteins;the regulation of genes encoding these proteins during development;collagen in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and as a target for gene therapy;the phenotypic consequences of collagen gene mutations in rare human disorders and in model organisms. Internationally recognized matrix biologists as well as up-and-coming investigators will be invited to present current work at the forefront of the field. The Conference has provided an invaluable opportunity for development of productive collaborations among established scientists and between established and new scientists;those collaborations have in turn, further enhanced the scientific progress in the field.